Quinn wants apology for Sanguinetti's 'cow tipping' remark

Gov. Pat Quinn says his Republican challenger's running mate should apologize for a 2013 comment asking if "cow tipping" was a job requirement in Springfield.

The Associated Press

Gov. Pat Quinn says his Republican challenger's running mate should apologize for a 2013 comment asking if "cow tipping" was a job requirement in Springfield.

The remark came from an email Evelyn Sanguinetti sent to a Department of Human Rights staff attorney asking if there were any job openings. She's now Republican Bruce Rauner's running mate. Rauner's campaign has said Sanguinetti's emails were to a former law school classmate and the comment was jovial in nature. Campaign spokesman have dismissed suggestions that she was disparaging downstate Illinois.

However, Quinn told reporters Thursday that Sanguinetti should apologize for the "disrespectful" remarks, particularly in the strong agricultural state.

The Chicago Democrat seeking a second full term says that's not the right way to "talk about anybody or any cow in Illinois."

In an interview with The State Journal-Register on Wednesday, Sanguinetti said she loves Springfield and the cow-tipping remark wasn't intended to be demeaning.

"We come here every year as a family," she said. "We always have come throughout the years for Republican Day, and the kids have enjoyed the (state) fair as a whole. So we love it. And we love all the tribute to Lincoln, and the kids have loved to go to the (Abraham Lincoln Presidential) Museum as well as all the areas around here."